MANHATTAN – Billionaire and one-time mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis is putting his money where his mouth is— offering a ten-thousand dollar reward for information about a gunpoint robbery earlier this month inside one of his Gristedes supermarkets located here on the Upper East Side.
“They went into one of our stores, tied up a manager and tied up one of our cashiers with guns to their heads” said Catsimatidis at a news conference Wednesday announcing the five-figure reward, the Daily News reported.
Investigators tell Upper East Site that it was around 9:45 pm on Saturday, April 16th, when two gunman armed with a pistol walked into the Gristedes supermarket, located at the corner of East 89th Street and Lexington Avenue in Carnegie Hill, and terrorized store employees— tying them up with zip ties then cleaning out the safe.
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“I guess we’re lucky that harm didn’t come to them,” said the billionaire businessman.
Outside the store Wednesday night, fliers publicizing the ten thousand dollar reward were posted, sharing surveillance images of the dangerous suspects wanted for the robbery.
Store workers are also taking extra security precautions following the heist— limiting exit and entry to just one door by the checkout area.
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”There’s three thousand criminals on the streets of New York committing ninety percent of the crimes,” the Gristedes owner said.
“Put them away if they can’t live like human beings. Eight and half million people deserve to be safe.”
Police describe one suspect as a masked man in his 40s with a large build wearing a navy blue work jumpsuit and boots. His accomplice has a medium build and wore sunglasses, a grey shirt and a skullcap. Both men are believed to be around 5’5” tall.
If you have any information on the Upper East Side Gristedes supermarket robbery or recognize the suspects, please call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-8477. All calls are strictly confidential.
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